Stephanie Kennan on Medicare

Senate Acts to Avert Medicare Sequester Payment Reductions — House Needs to Act

In the nick of time, the U.S. Senate passed legislation on March 25, 2021, to delay a 2 percent across-the-board cut to Medicare through the rest of 2021. The vote was 90 to 2. Without the delay, all Medicare providers would...more

3/29/2021 / Budget Control Act of 2011 , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Medicare , OMB

Telehealth: How the Pandemic Is Shaping the Future of Remote Healthcare

As of late March 2021, 475 million people worldwide have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Although a return to normalcy is drawing closer, it is unclear how state and federal governments will regulate and reimburse for telehealth...more

3/26/2021 / Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Health Care Providers , Medicare , MedPAC , Public Health Emergency , Telehealth

Update: House Passes, President to Sign American Rescue Plan With Senate Healthcare Provisions

On March 10, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, on a largely partisan basis by a 220-211 vote. Final passage came four days after the U.S. Senate amended...more

3/11/2021 / Affordable Care Act , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Cost-Sharing , Health Care Providers , Hospitals , Medicare , Relief Measures , Skilled Nursing Facility

U.S. Senate Passes American Rescue Plan – 10 Key Updates for Healthcare Providers

On March 6, 2021, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, by a 50-49 vote, along entirely partisan lines. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) missed the vote after joining with all Republicans on...more

3/9/2021 / COBRA , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Health Care Providers , Hospitals , Medicaid , Medicare , Mental Health , Popular , Rural Health Care Providers , SAMHSA , Skilled Nursing Facility , Vaccinations

The Courts and Healthcare Policy

2020 saw the courts continuing to play an important role in health policy with several notable lawsuits related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Several other Trump administration policies were challenged, including Medicare...more

2/2/2021 / Affordable Care Act , Association Health Plans , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Drug Pricing , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , Medicaid , Medicare , Section 1557 , Section 340B , Take Care Clause

Washington Healthcare Update - January 2021 #3

This week in Washington: President Joe Biden begins his term and Congress begins work to confirm cabinet secretaries....more

1/26/2021 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , GAO , Medicare , Pharmaceutical Industry , Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) , Prescription Drugs

Omnibus Appropriations Package – 15 Key Provisions for Healthcare Providers

Passed by Congress Dec. 21, 2020, and signed by President Donald Trump Dec. 27, 2020, the $1.4 trillion omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), includes numerous statutory provisions that directly affect...more

1/14/2021 / CARES Act , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Health Care Providers , Medicare , Physician Fee Schedule , Telehealth

Washington Healthcare Update - January 2021 #1

This week in Washington: The 117th Congress will be in session on Jan. 21. Administration - •CMS: 2022 Requests for Applications for the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model and its Hospice Benefit Component...more

1/12/2021 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , GAO , Medicare , MIPS

Omnibus Appropriations Package Includes Changes for Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries

Passed by Congress Dec. 21, 2020, and signed by President Donald Trump Dec. 27, 2020, the $1.4 trillion omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act includes numerous provisions that directly impact Medicare and Medicaid...more

1/7/2021 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Medicaid , Medicare , Medicare Advantage , Medicare Part A , Medicare Part D

Washington Healthcare Update - November 2020 #1

This week in Washington: Washington’s focus has been on the presidential and Senate races....more

11/10/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , GAO , Health Care Providers , Hospitals , Medicare , Medicare Part A , Medicare Part B , OMB , Physicians

Washington Healthcare Update - October 2020 #5

This week in Washington: Washington is relatively quiet because of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd. Grassley, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability within the Federal Government...more

11/3/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , Health Care Providers , Interim Final Rules (IFR) , Medicare , Proposed Rules , Vaccinations

CMS Updates Medicare Accelerated and Advance Program Repayment Guidance and Start Date

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued an updated fact sheet and a FAQ page detailing the repayment terms for Medicare Part A providers and Part B suppliers who received payments under its...more

10/29/2020 / Advanced Payment Program , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Health Care Providers , Medicare , Medicare Part A , Medicare Part B , Prepayments

Washington Healthcare Update - October 2020 #3

House - Democrats Ask GAO to Investigate Legality of President Trump’s Medicare Drug Gift Cards - On Oct. 13, House Energy & Commerce Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), House Ways & Means Chair Richard Neal (D-MA) and Senate...more

10/20/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Drug Pricing , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , Medicare , Pharmaceutical Industry , Prescription Drugs , Section 340B , Trump Administration , Vaccinations

Washington Healthcare Update - October 2020 #2

This week in Washington: Negotiations for COVID-19 stimulus package are ongoing; House and Senate are in recess....more

10/13/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Drug Pricing , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , GAO , Health Care Providers , Medicare , Medicare Part D , OIG , Pharmaceutical Industry , Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) , Prescription Drugs , Section 340B

Washington Healthcare Update - September 2020 #2

This week in Washington: House passes bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to avoid government shutdown; Senate set to pass the CR this Tuesday....more

9/29/2020 / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Continuing Resolution , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , GAO , Health Care Providers , Medicaid , Medicare , Medicare Part D , Telehealth , Trump Administration

Washington Healthcare Update - September 2020 #1

This week in Washington: The Republican COVID-19 legislative package fails to pass in the Senate; Congress is in negotiations for a continuing resolution to fund the government until 2021....more

9/15/2020 / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , GAO , Medicaid , Medicare , Prescription Drugs

Washington Healthcare Update - August 2020 #4

This week in Washington: Congress remains in a district work period, while COVID-19 legislative talks continue....more

9/1/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Justice (DOJ) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , Health Care Providers , Medicaid , Medicare , Right to Try , Telehealth

Washington Healthcare Update - August 2020 #2

This week in Washington: Senate stays in session this week as negotiations on the COVID-19 package continue, but is not expecting votes; House remains in district work period....more

8/11/2020 / 1332 Waiver , Ambulatory Surgery Centers , Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , GAO , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) , Medicaid , Medicare , Opioid , Public Charge , SAMHSA , Telehealth , Trump Administration

Washington Healthcare Update - July 2020 #2

This week in Washington: Both the House and Senate return to session, discussions on the next COVID-19 package begin....more

7/21/2020 / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) , Coronavirus/COVID-19 , Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) , Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , Health Care Providers , Medicaid , Medicare , MedPAC , Nursing Homes , Telehealth , Trump Administration

Stephanie Kennan

McGuireWoods LLP

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